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What is shoulder tendonitis?
Shoulder tendonitis is a common cause of shoulder pain and stiffness. When the rotator cuff — the muscles that keep the shoulder stable, and the bicep tendon become inflamed and irritated, you experience shoulder pain and stiffness. This is known as shoulder tendonitis. It indicates an inflammation injury to a particular area within the shoulder joint.
Possible Causes of Shoulder Tendonitis:
When tendons surrounding the joint of the shoulder start weakening with age or overuse, it is called shoulder tendonitis or tenosynovitis. It starts hurting gradually and the pain is due to repeated use which may happen with athletes. Even picking up weight which is beyond your capacity causes a strain on your tendon. Poor posture is another cause for shoulder tendonitis.
Risk Factors of Shoulder Tendonitis:
Risk factors for developing shoulder tendonitis include age, performing jobs and sports with excess overhead activities:
- Age: your tendons become less flexible as you age.
- Particular jobs: some jobs that involve physical work like repetitive motions, awkward bends, frequently reaching up and picking up heavy loads commonly cause shoulder tendonitis.
- Sports: using an incorrect technique as well as repetitive movements while playing sports like baseball, basketball, bowling, golf, running, swimming or tennis.
Signs & Symptoms of shoulder tendonitis:
Signs and symptoms of shoulder tendonitis arise at the point where the tendon is attached to the bone. These are:
- A dull ache is felt, especially when moving the shoulder. Pain becomes worse after a period of rest and may even happens after and not during the exercise.
- Tenderness and some swelling.
- Every movement may create a creaking feeling known as crepitus in the tendon.
Shoulder Tendonitis Diagnosis:
When you visit Medcare, your shoulder tendonitis will be diagnosed based on your symptoms and a physical examination. The specialist may recommend X-rays or other imaging tests such as an ultrasound test in order to rule out other conditions that may have similar signs and symptoms. Usually MRI is needed for final diagnosis.
Shoulder Tendonitis Treatment in Dubai & Sharjah:
Schedule a consultation at the Sports Medicine Centre of Medcare to know the best shoulder tendonitis treatment for you. The specialist may recommend any of the following:
- Pain killers, anti-inflammatories, rest and modification of activities.
- Physiotherapy including sports massage techniques to relax the associated muscles, Electro therapy, and minimally-invasive surgical procedures such as dry needling and ultrasonic treatment.
- Local steroid injection.
- Sometimes arthroscopic surgery is needed to decompress the inflamed tendons.
Shoulder Tendonitis FAQs
Shoulder Tendonitis FAQs
Inclusions:
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What is shoulder tendinitis?
A: Tendonitis or tendinitis occurs when shoulder tendons get injured due to repetitive activity, or overuse of the shoulder. This is usually due to poor posture and increased pressure on the shoulder muscle.
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Are there any home remedies to treat this shoulder tendonitis?
A: You can start with some home remedies such as taking rest from aggravating or triggering activities, apply an ice pack to ease the pain and swelling, and take over-the-counter pain killers. However, do visit Medcare and meet a shoulder tendonitis specialist if the symptoms persist.
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How is electrotherapy used to treat shoulder tendonitis?
A: Electrotherapy involves using electrical impulses to repair tissue, stimulate muscles, improve muscle strength and decrease pain sensitivity. There are many different forms of electrotherapy – ultrasound, interferential therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and laser therapy. The effects of electrotherapy include pain reduction, increased strength, better range of movement, speed and strength of muscle contraction.
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How long does it take for tendonitis to heal in the shoulder?
A: Shoulder tendonitis is an inflammation injury and typically happens because of an injury to the shoulder. Generally, tendonitis can heal in 2 to 4 weeks, but if it is severe it might take several months to heal completely.
However, if the pain is affecting your daily activities, or if you injure yourself again, you must get medical advice immediately. Shoulder Tendonitis generally includes taking medications, steroids, physical therapy or even surgery. Timely treatment will help prevent any permanent damage to the shoulder joint.
Need an expert's help to heal your shoulder tendonitis? Book an appointment with a Medcare specialist today.
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How do you treat tendonitis in the shoulder?
A: If the injury is minor, tendonitis can be treated at home. Shoulder Tendonitis can include taking pain medication such as ibuprofen, avoiding physical activity that puts a strain on the shoulder, icing the area, applying heat once the pain fades and doing daily exercises and stretching to regain flexibility.
However, if home treatment doesn't work, you may have to resort to other options guided by your doctor such as local steroid injections, physical therapy and even surgery.
Need to get your shoulder tendonitis treated as safely as possible? Book an appointment with a Medcare specialist today.
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Does shoulder tendonitis ever go away?
A: Shoulder Tendonitis is not a condition that goes away without medical aid. Usually, the older the patient is, the longer it takes for tendonitis to get cured. In fact, in some cases, when the patient goes back to their normal activities, the problem returns despite adequate rest and precautions.
Thus, it is best to get the condition checked by a doctor and start the recommended treatment as soon as possible. Most of the time, it can get better with conservative treatments such as rest and icing the shoulder at regular intervals every day.
Need treatment for shoulder tendonitis? Book an appointment with a Medcare shoulder tendonitis specialist today.
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What happens if tendonitis goes untreated?
A: If tendonitis goes untreated, there is a risk of it becoming chronic. Chronic tendonitis ends up causing you constant pain, starts interfering with your daily activities and also causes difficulty in sleeping. In some cases, the pain can even spread out from the affected area and radiate to other body parts.
Untreated tendonitis can also cause weakening, rupture of the tendon and can also cause permanent damage to the affected area over a period of time. If the tendon ruptures it could further deteriorate and may require surgery.
Fear you may have tendonitis? Book an appointment with a Medcare shoulder tendonitis specialist for treatment today.
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How do you treat inflamed shoulder tendons?
A: The first step for treating inflamed shoulder tendons involves managing the pain and swelling. This can be achieved by avoiding activities that cause pain, applying ice packs for 15-20 minutes daily and taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, Naproxen etc.
If the inflammation does not heal with these self-care techniques, you will most likely be referred to a physical therapist. Your physical therapy will primarily consist of stretching and other passive exercises to ease pain and restore your range of motion.
Need treatment for shoulder tendonitis? Book an appointment with a Medcare shoulder tendonitis specialist today.
